We all have difficult people in our lives who drain our energy and time. The point is to learn how to distance yourself from them.

Being around positive, encouraging people naturally makes you more positive and empowers you to be the best you can be. Similarly, if you’re surrounded by difficult people, you may start to pick up their bad habits, or find yourself dealing with their drama before putting yourself first.

But how can you distance yourself if the difficult person is a family member or close friend? It’s easy to be objective when we’re not in the situation, but it takes real courage to distance yourself from people who aren’t good for your mental health.

Related : 10 Struggles Only Emotionally Detached People Will Understand

Here are some negative personality types and suggestions on how to distance yourself from them.

Narcissists

Narcissists always put themselves first, above all others. They let people into their lives to satisfy their ego and can be extremely manipulative in getting what they want.

What this means for you is that you’ll often be forced to do something you don’t want to do. You will be used and exploited before you even realize what has happened.

To regain control from a narcissist, you need to set clear boundaries and ground rules, not just for them but for yourself as well. You need to realize that you can never please a narcissist, so you need to stop trying, it’s very exhausting.

A narcissist needs constant validation and praise from others, and if you stop providing that, they will most likely move on to someone who does.

ChaosLovers

ChaosLovers is one thing, however, people who love to create chaos wherever they go are something entirely different. These types of people thrive on causing drama with their crazy behavior.

They are the ones who throw a pebble in the pond and then stand back and watch the ripples affect everyone but them. Being friends with someone who loves chaos is very exhausting, as you are always on edge, wondering what trick they have up their sleeve next.

The best way to deal with someone who loves chaos is to be completely objective and step away from the situation. This way you can see through someone else’s eyes how destructive and useless they are.

Try not to get caught up in the raw emotions of their drama, and see them for who they really are: sad, boring, and troublemakers.

NegativePeople

Have you ever had a friend who drains your life with their constant negativity? People who complain, whine, or grumble about life all the time can bring you down mentally.

Just as someone who laughs at themselves often gets others to join in their laughter, a negative person spreads their gloom and doom. This can have a detrimental effect on your mental health.

If you’re surrounded by negativity, the best course of action is not to fuel the fire. Decide to step away from the grumbling session, or the office complaining session, and distance yourself from the negative atmosphere.

You don’t have to isolate yourself completely from the negative person, but try to be around them only when they’re positive and try to encourage that side of them instead. Presenting a positive image of yourself is a great way to help change someone’s behaviour, so it’s a good idea to be aware of your own negative feelings too.

Codependents

Do you have that needy friend who won’t do anything unless you go with them? Are you starting to feel guilty because you want to spend more time with others or alone when you know they’ll react badly?

Related : 14 Signs a Narcissist Is Playing Mind Games With You

Codependents can be exhausting, even if they’re not aware of the effect they’re having on you. You don’t want to upset them, but you should try to encourage them to be more independent.

If you have a friend or family member who relies on you, always try to make sure that they have their own plans and aren’t relying on you alone. This could mean that they’re catching up with old friends, or that they’re pursuing their interests without you.

You can also change things up a bit if you find that you’ve become accustomed to a certain routine. So don’t be available every Friday if that’s when you usually see your friend. Encourage them to branch out with other people because you obviously won’t always be free.

Do you have the above types of difficult people in your life? If so, how do you deal with them? Share your thoughts in the comments below!